Сhарtеr 8: Setting the Ваit
Indееd.
Тhough the girl said shе didn’t knоw, someоne as аstutе аs Jiаng Yаnсhuan immеdiаtеlу thought deеper.
If his sister had bееn framеd, thеn hе оnlу neеdеd tо see whо ultimаtelу benefited frоm the inсident.
Oncе this mattеr cаmе to light, the girl, whо had just been brоught bасk tо the Chаnсеllоr’s Manоr, had аlreadу provоked their fаther’s anger, еаrnеd their grаndmоther’s disdain, beеn distanсеd by him, her оwn brother, аnd was lооkеd down uрon by еveryоnе in thе manor.
Her reputation wаs ruinеd, and she was plасed under housе аrrest by their father for three months. Despite being the legitimate daughter of the Chancellor’s Manor, her life was even more difficult than that of Jiang Luowei, a concubine-born daughter.
—Jiang Luowei.
Jiang Yanchuan suddenly thought of Concubine Zhou.
Before the girl returned, only Jiang Luowei, the concubine-born daughter of Concubine Zhou, was the sole daughter of the Chancellor’s Manor. Now that the legitimate daughter had been brought back, no matter how unfavored she might be, she would still stand in the way of Concubine Zhou’s own daughter.
Concubine Zhou had always been praised by everyone for her kindness and virtue over the years—could she really be capable of such a sinister scheme?
“I don’t know exactly what happened, I just…”
The girl raised her eyes, her gaze moist, “I just hope that Brother can believe me and not hate me because of this anymore.”
Seeing the girl’s tears, Jiang Yanchuan felt a pang in his heart.
If she truly had been framed, how much scorn and injustice had his sister endured innocently all this time?
He took a deep breath, reached out to wipe away her tears, and spoke with certainty, “I will investigate this matter. If you were truly framed, I will stand up for you.”
Meanwhile, after leaving the bedroom, Fuling thought of going to the kitchen to fetch some candied fruit to help her mistress counteract the bitterness of the medicine.
In her heart, she secretly hoped that the relationship between her mistress and the eldest young master would grow closer from now on.
But to her surprise, as soon as she stepped out of Yilan Courtyard, she was stopped by someone from Fanghua Courtyard.
It was Cuiyun, Concubine Zhou’s personal maid, who spoke to her without any courtesy, “Fuling, Concubine Zhou wants you to come over.”
Concubine Zhou had really come looking for her.
Fuling thought to herself, but on the surface, she wore a look of fear, “Concubine Zhou wants me? But I still need to fetch candied fruit for my mistress…”
Cuiyun directly cut her off, “Concubine Zhou is currently managing the Chancellor’s Manor. If she calls for you, how dare you disobey?”
Fuling pretended to be intimidated, “Then… alright.”
Led by Cuiyun, Fuling entered Fanghua Courtyard.
As she stepped into the bedroom, she saw Concubine Zhou and Jiang Luowei sitting upright inside.
Fuling bowed and asked softly, “Concubine Zhou, Young Miss, may I ask why you summoned this servant?”
Concubine Zhou’s expression was unreadable, but she cast a highly oppressive glance at Fuling, “Earlier, was it you who went to fetch the eldest young master?”
Fuling knelt on the ground, trembling with fear, “I’m sorry, Concubine, I was just worried about my mistress…”
Concubine Zhou remained calm, her tone suddenly softening, “Look how frightened you are. It’s good that you care about your mistress. I won’t blame you for that.”
“Actually, I called you here not for this matter. I wanted to ask you, how have you and your mistress been faring during these months of confinement in Plum Fragrance Courtyard?”
With a glance from Concubine Zhou, Cuiyun stepped forward and handed Fuling some loose silver.
“This is a reward from the Concubine for taking care of the Second Young Miss these past few months.”
Just as her mistress had said, Concubine Zhou had come to question her, first with temptation, then with threats.
“This…” Fuling pretended to hesitate.
Seeing Fuling hesitate to accept, Cuiyun immediately raised her voice, “If the Concubine rewards you, you should take it.”Fuling finally put away the silver, her expression growing even more respectful. “Thank you, Concubine.”
She then replied, “Concubine has been especially attentive to Plum Fragrance Courtyard, ensuring three meals a day are delivered on time. Naturally, the young lady and I have been living well.”
Concubine Zhou immediately followed up, “Then the food the kitchen sends to your young lady—does she eat it all?”
“Of course.”
At this mention, Fuling seemed to open up. “Concubine might not know, but for some reason, ever since being confined to Plum Fragrance Courtyard, the young lady’s appetite has been increasing day by day. She finishes every meal the kitchen sends without fail.”
“But strangely, the young lady only eats without gaining weight. In fact, the more she eats, the more slender and graceful her figure becomes, and her skin grows fairer and more delicate. I find it both puzzling and enviable.”
Eating without gaining weight, and even getting slimmer the more she eats?
Jiang Luowei, sitting nearby, couldn’t stay still. “Is that true?”
Her eyes were filled with disbelief.
How could there be such a thing as eating voraciously without gaining weight?
Since she could remember, in order to maintain her figure and achieve a slender waist that could be held in one hand, standing out among the noble ladies of the capital, she had almost always been on a diet.
She only took small tastes of any delicacies. Not to mention oily or meaty dishes, she didn’t even dare to eat more than a mouthful of plain rice.
Yet this forced thinness from hunger left her skin dull and lifeless, relying on makeup daily to add color to her complexion.
But Jiang Chuji last night was like a lotus emerging from water. Her fair, delicate skin glowed from within.
Could it be that the Gu Worm only increases appetite without causing weight gain?
If this were true, and relying on a Gu Worm could grant a constitution that allows one to eat without gaining weight and even become more beautiful, then what was the point of all her years of bitter perseverance?
Concubine Zhou’s eyes also darkened, though her expression remained unchanged.
She waved her hand. “Alright, Fuling, you may return to the courtyard now and continue taking care of your young lady.”
Then she shifted her tone. “You should know that I have always been concerned about your young lady.”
“If your young lady doesn’t want other maidservants attending to her, so be it. You just take good care of her. If I call you over for questioning in the future, come as asked, and you won’t lack rewards. Do you understand what I mean?”
Having failed to place a maidservant, she was now simply bribing Fuling to act as an informant.
Fuling immediately understood. “If Concubine asks, Fuling will speak without reservation and hold nothing back.”
Concubine Zhou waved her hand again. “Good, then go back. Remember, don’t tell your young lady that I called for you.”
When Fuling returned, she happened to run into Jiang Yanchuan leaving Yilan Courtyard and immediately bowed in greeting.
As soon as she entered the room, she hurried to the bedside, her eyes sparkling. “Young lady, what did you do?”
“Just now, when the eldest young master saw me, he actually took the initiative to tell me to take good care of you.”
“He even said that if you feel unwell again, I must notify him. This has never happened before.”
Fuling genuinely admired her young lady now.
The young lady had only just left Plum Fragrance Courtyard last night, and today the eldest young master, who had always been indifferent to her, had become so attentive.
Jiang Chuji lazily sat up.
Feigning illness with a few tears, acting until hearts break—she was tired from the performance earlier.
She lifted her eyes and asked Fuling, “You’re back? Did Concubine Zhou call for you?””Yes, just as the young lady guessed,” Fuling immediately replied. “I also responded as you instructed, but young lady, will the concubines really believe what I said?”
Jiang Chuji was somewhat nonchalant: “If it were just your words, they certainly wouldn’t believe it. However, I want them not to believe it.”